Australia: Chinese Musician Feels Pride in Shen Yun Performance in Sydney

On April 19th, 2009, Shen Yun Performing Arts was in Sydney, Australia, for two performances. Tickets for the two shows were sold out.

A capacity audience takes in Shen Yun's second show in Sydney

Chinese Musician: I Feel So Proud

Jonathan Xue is a flutist. This was his third time to see the Shen Yun show. He knows that it is very hard to put together a show like the Shen Yun Spectacular because there are a lot of dances involving many artists. He feels that Shen Yun has created a miracle as a professional performing arts group.

"It's not easy to see dances of high quality as in the Shen Yun shows overseas," said Jonathan. "With so many people involved and two shows a day, it's unbelievable that Shen Yun did it. There are a lot of details involved and so much work done just for the short moments on stage. The artists need to be physically very fit to be able to do this."

Jonathan described the show as very colourful with unique background projections and various styles of ethnic dances. "Most performing arts groups fit a certain style and when they adopt a second style, they still have the influence from the previous style. Shen Yun's artists presented absolutely different styles of ethnic dances, which was not easy."

Being an artist himself, Jonathan felt very proud to see such a large-scale traditional Chinese performance that was eye-opening for the western audience.

Jonathan graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and specialises in bamboo flute. He used to be a member of the Sirocco Quartet in Australia, and is often invited to perform solo at a number of venues.

Visiting Chinese: Will Tell Friends Back Home

Ms. Chen came to Australia to visit a relative two months ago. She said excitedly that she would go home and tell her friends what a wonderful show she saw. "This is my first time to see such a performance. I feel proud being a Chinese after the show. The dance manifests Chinese culture so vividly. I feel like my soul is cleansed and I am spiritually satisfied."

Ms. Chen had heard about the persecution of Falun Gong back in China. She had a lot of thoughts after watching the dance, "Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution," which depicts the persecution of Falun Gong in modern day China. "I could feel how they feel just by seeing their facial expressions and movements. They hold on to their belief despite violent suppression. I saw the bright side of human nature. It made me cry several times."

Businesswoman: I See the Essence of Art

Anna came to Australia two years ago and runs a small business. She came to see the show with a friend. She felt that the performance presented the true Chinese culture and the essence of art. "The stories conveyed firm belief in God and inspired me spiritually. It calmed me down. The performance has a very positive meaning in it."

Anna felt that every number in the programme was profound in terms of culture and morality and taught people to be righteous and benevolent. The stories illustrated how people should live and are worth seeing over and over. She was shocked and felt injustice when she saw the scene of a Falun Gong practitioner being beaten. The scene where God came down to pick up the practitioner who died for refusing to give up his belief made Anna feel the sacred nature of the event. She said she could understand the meaning of God offering salvation to mankind.

Real Estate Agent: The Performance Tells People the Truth

Yangdan runs a real estate business. She adored every aspect of the show. "The costumes, music and stage design were beautiful. The brilliant colours match very well with the costumes. The artists are very young and look spectacular when they smile. The choreography was awesome as well," she said.

Yangdan, a Buddhist, said she believed and felt God was offering salvation to mankind after seeing the show. "We should purify our soul so we can return to where we belong. Falun Gong teaches Truth-Compassion-Forbearance and purifies people in body and soul. In China, I know it is impossible to have such a show on stage. It's great that I get to see it here."

A former movie producer, Yangdan felt the background projection was very special and coordinated flawlessly with the stage and music.

"The artists conveyed their voice through their performance on stage. The Chinese government defames and discredits Falun Gong and this show is telling people what is really happening."

Overseas Student: Splendid!

Vivian, a student from China, felt the show was splendid and brilliant

Vivian came from Shanghai six weeks ago. She felt very proud of being Chinese after seeing the show. "The entire show was splendid and brilliant. Seeing Chinese culture drawing so much attention of so many non-Chinese makes me really proud. When the show ended, the entire audience stood up to wave at the artists. This is an unforgettable scene for me."

Vivian was glad to see stories she grew up with. "After seeing 'Mulan Joins the Battle,' I had a feeling of nostalgia. It's a different feeling to see a story told through dance. I understand more about Chinese culture from today's show. I had never had a chance to see a show like this back in China," said Vivian.